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Greetings, and welcome to VIEWING THE CLASSICS. Here you'll find capsule reviews of vintage movies from the early days of cinema through the 1970s, with a special emphasis on sci-fi, horror, and mystery movies. Be sure to check out the Pages links, where you can find a Film Index of all my reviews, links to the reviews organized by cast members, directors, and other contributors, and links to my reviews of the films of talented young director Joshua Kennedy.

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Friday, July 17, 2015

The Case Of The Stuttering Bishop (1937)

Starring Donald Woods, Ann Dvorak, Anne Nagel, Linda Perry, Craig Reynolds
Directed by William Clemens(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)Attorney Perry Mason is handed a new case by a stuttering bishop, who leads him to the discovery that the heir of a wealthy magnate is an imposter.A departure of sorts from the other Perry Mason films of the 1930s, this installment feels more like a straight adaptation of Erle Stanley Gardner's novel, with none of the humor and wisecracks found in the Mason films starring Warren William and Ricardo Cortez, although a boastful hotel detective does provide some comic relief. It's a well put together mystery, and Woods and Dvorak make fine leads. The picture's not quite as entertaining as some of the other Perry Mason films, but it's a worthwhile production.